FUTURE OF ECONOMICS IN HEALTH CARE
TEXTBOOK: Getzen, T. E. (2013). Health Care Economics and Financing (5th Ed). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons
Who pays? Should health care be a privilege and each individual’s responsibility? Should you be allowed to decide if you want to spend your money on some form of health care insurance or use it for other purchases? Should you be allowed to decide that you live a healthy lifestyle, and you will pay out of pocket for your needs? If you get into a situation that is beyond your ability to pay, should you have to suffer the consequences? Should those consequences include permanent damage or death?
Is illness and infirmity a burden on society and health care for every citizen a right? Think of other rights extended to American citizens. We are entitled to free primary education, a safe food and water supply, public health surveillance for communicable diseases, and police and fire protection. These are all funded by public money, which comes from taxes. Should health care join that list? Is the average taxpayer willing to assume that burden?
If a public health care system is selected, who should be the administrator? Should the same people who run Medicare run a national health system? Is the Medicare system running well enough to be expanded to everyone? If a public option is selected, what happens to the current health care insurance industry? How would the transition from private to public be orchestrated?
The issues of how much and to whom is further complicated by the aging of the population and the rapid advance in health care technology. Both factors have contributed to marked increases in health care costs. How will anyone predict costs in the future? Is rationing health care the only solution? 200 words
It is a scary trend especially, that we have the opportunity to model other healthcare systems that are in place and functional. We also have the option to create a system that works for the American people. Where do we fail? How does a European system of healthcare compare with technology, cost structures, reimbursement, etc… ? 150 words
What is your opinion about this article: The constitutionality of current legal barriers to telemedicine in the United States: analysis and future directions of its relationship to national and international health care reform. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1549765 150 words
What is your opinion about this article: The key to real health care reform is tackling barriers standing in way of clinical integration. http://news.aha.org/article/the-key-to-real-health-care-reform-is-tackling-barriers-standing-in-way-of-clinical-integr 150 words
What is your opinion about this article: Challenges ahead of health care finance: 150 words http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Challenges+ahead+for+health+care+finance.-a0178620582
What will have a greater effect on the future cost of health care in the United States: political and social changes or medicinal and technological advances? Support your response. Your response should be 200-300 words. Please ensure to substantiate your response with scholarly sources or a personal account of your own experience in the work place.
Crystal: I am thinking that medical and technological advances will have a greater effect on future cost of health care in the United States rather political and social changes. The world already relies on technology for everything. Look at today versus the early 1900’s. House phones and pagers to cell phones, dial-up internet to now broad band. Social networking sites like, facebook, linkedln, twitter and more many utilize for conversing, advertising, word of mouth, job search and more. That does not even include some if the latest technology in health care. Beginning with electronic health records, mHealth, telemedicine and teleheath, e-prescribing, to self-service kiosks. More of the latest technology is still yet to come with the 2015 microchip modeling clinical trials that aim to replace the use of animals in clinical trials to more accurately test the safety and efficacy of treatment for human patients and spare the lives of countless animals typically used in testing, and Google Glass that connects to your smart phone and allows for video and images. Soon the health care robots will be in all health care facilities. Technology is only getting more better as the years go by. Do you agree or disagree with Crystal? Why or why not? 150 words
The emergence of new disease may be another area of concern. I would venture to say that in general, the cost of health care is not only what we see at face value, but also what goes on behind the scene. The impact will exponentially come from all sectors not only social, but also technologically, in both the private and public sector. Another area of great concern about the rise of health care is the baby boomer impact on health care in general and the social structure. Do you think this is a problem that will cause great change? 150 words
Linda: The cost of health care is at an all time high and at the rate we are going there probably will not be any relief from the costs skyrocketing even further. As of 2012 the spending in health care had exceeded $2.6 trillion which equals about 18 percent of gross domestic product. Medical spending races past inflation and medical providers contribute to the rising costs just as much as we do as patients. The insurance companies would pay for each test or procedure including visits that a provider would bill for which has become an issue because of over billing, In this day and age as we age we are very unhealthy, and make unhealthy choices with the fast food that is available which in turn exposes us to weight gain, high blood pressure, and heart disease. We are also moving further along in technology and the more we learn the more we want which includes services for testing, and new drugs. However, at this point we do not have enough information to decide what is best for us and what we can do to keep the costs down which is what needs to be our focus if we plan to get control of the ever increasing costs.
Appleby, J. (2012). Seven Factors Driving Up Your Health Care Costs. PBS NEWHOUR. Retrieved from: www.pbs.org.
Do you agree or disagree with Linda? Why or why not? 150 words
Question 10 is attached already, see powerpoint- meaning the work is done; you don’t need to write anything. I only need you to just organize the PowerPoint for me. Edit, add or remove anything you think is missing or not supposed to be there. Format in APA style. Prepare a Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation in which you summarize health care reform material. Assume you are making a presentation to the board of directors concerning your investigation into the economic issue you submitted for your Health Care Reform Project assignments in Weeks Two and Three.
Have a minimum of 10 to 15 slides with extensive speaker notes, augmenting and expanding on the information presented in each slide. Include the following in your presentation:
Describe the economic issue selected.
Identify methods and tools common to addressing economic challenges in the health care industry.
Discuss how the methods and tools identified relate to health care reform.
Determine the most effective method(s) and tool(s) that could be used to resolve the economic issue selected.
Identify various payment sources and mechanism used in the health care industry.
Determine which payment source(s) and mechanism(s) are the most effective to resolve the economic issue selected.
List the steps needed to implement your solution.
